Overlook Drive House Fire

Injures Five People

By Andrew Gorosko

Late Wednesday night, firefighters from three volunteer fire companies responded to an accidental house fire at the Kopsco residence at 4 Overlook Drive that injured five people, authorities said.

Homeowner Kenneth Kopsco was listed in critical condition in Bridgeport Hospital’s burn care unit on Thursday morning.

Marge Kopsco, his spouse, was being admitted to Danbury Hospital on Thursday morning, a hospital spokeswoman said. Mrs Kopsco’s medical condition was not available. Information on the unidentified three others who were injured in the fire was not available Thursday morning.

About 40 firefighters from Newtown Hook & Ladder, Hawleyville, and Sandy Hook went to the scene following the 11:12 pm call.

Hook & Ladder Fire Chief Ray Corbo said the origin of the blaze, which caused an estimated $80,000 to $100,000 of property damage, is under investigation by the town fire marshal’s office.

At 11:12 pm, the town’s emergency dispatch center received a call from the homeowner reporting the fire, Chief Corbo said.

All five people, who were apparently sleeping within the house when the fire occurred, were transported to area hospitals for treatment of injuries, Chief Corbo said. The people who were in the house were an older couple (the Kopscos), their adult daughter, and the daughter’s two children, he said. The victims reportedly suffered smoke inhalation.

To flee the intense heat in the Colonial-style house, Mrs Kopsco jumped out of a second- story window, breaking both her ankles when she landed on the ground, the fire chief said.

The fire caused char damage to the house’s living room, plus heat and smoke damage throughout the structure, he said. The house is about 25 years old and can be repaired, he said.

The first firefighter on the scene took a fire extinguisher into the building in seeking to get the blaze under control, Chief Corbo said. Others followed the firefighter into the building with a fire hose to knock down the flames.

The entire living room and its contents were afire when the fire companies arrived, Chief Corbo said. Firefighters used about 400 gallons of water during a 30-minute period to extinguish the blaze.

The house was equipped with smoke detectors, Chief Corbo said. Firefighters left the fire scene at 1:50 am on Thursday.